Epiees Organics

Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam, Kerala

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. When dried, the fruit is known as a peppercorn. It is one of the most common spices added to cuisines around the world.

Star anise is the dried, star shaped fruit of Illicium verum. It is an evergreen tree attaining a height of 8-15 meters and a diameter of 25 cm.Star Anise is indigenous to South Eastern China. Commercial production is limited to China and Vietnam. In India, it is produced to a small extent in Arunachal Pradesh. The crop requires specific agro climatic conditions available only in the traditional growing areas, which has prevented repeated attempts of other countries to grow star anise. However it prefers woodlands, sunny edges, and dappled shade. The plant grows well in humus rich, mildly acidic to neutral soils, which are light to medium and having good drainage. Star anise is one of the signature flavors of Chinese savory cooking. The five-spice powder mix common in China contains star anise. It is used to flavor vegetables, meat, and to marinate meat. It is used as a condiment for flavoring curries, confectionaries, spirits, and for pickling. It is also used in perfumery. The essential oil of star anise is used to flavor soft drinks, bakery products and liquors. The fruit is anti-bacterial, carminative, diuretic and stomachic. It is considered useful in flatulence and spasmodic.

Cinnamon originates from Sri Lanka and is a bark from a tree in the laurel family. The pale dried bark is rolled together to form quills of cinnamon.The flavor of cinnamon has a delicate though strong sweet and woody flavor. There are hints of clove and citrus.Cinnamon has sweet, spicy and woody aroma.The tree can grow up to 10 meters tall so this should be considered when thinking about planting. The try likes a warm and sheltered position. It is best grown in tropical or sub-tropical areas.Cinnamon is one of the worlds oldest healers. Research has shown that cinnamon has properties that fight bacteria. Some even say that having cinnamon is the best thing to fight flu. Recent research has shown that cinnamon can help lower blood pressure.The lighter the color of ground cinnamon the higher to quality. Cinnamon bought in the powdered form does lose the intensity of its flavor quite quickly. If you buy quills and store them in an airtight container they can store for 2-3 years.

Turmeric comes from the root of Curcuma longa, a leafy plant in the ginger family. The root, or rhizome, has a tough brown skin and bright orange flesh. Ground Turmeric comes from fingers which extend from the root. It is boiled or steamed and then dried, and ground.India is the world's primary producer of Turmeric. It is also grown in Vietnam and India.Turmeric is a necessary ingredient of curry powder. It is used extensively in Indian dishes, including lentil and meat dishes, and in Southeast Asian cooking. Turmeric is routinely added to mustard blends and relishes. It also is used in place of saffron to provide color and flavor.Turmeric is mildly aromatic and has scents of orange or ginger. It has a pungent, bitter flavor.

Nutmeg is the seed kernel inside the fruit and mace is the lacy covering (aril) on the kernel. The nutmeg seed is encased in a mottled yellow, edible fruit, the approximate size and shape of a small peach. The fruit splits in half to reveal a net-like, bright red covering over the seed. This is the aril which is collected, dried and sold as mace. Under the aril is a dark shiny nut-like pit, and inside that is the oval shaped seed which is the nutmeg. Nutmegs are usually sold without the mace or hard shell. Used in small dosages nutmeg can reduce flatulence, aid digestion, improve the appetite and treat diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. Nutmegs flavor and fragrance come from oil of Myristica, containing Myristica, a poisonous narcotic. Myristica can cause hallucinations, vomiting; epileptic symptoms and large dosages can cause death. These effects will not be induced, however, even with generous culinary usage.

CUMMIN: Widely popular for their distinctive savory flavor, cumin seeds are one of the routinely featuring ingredients in the North African, Middle-East, Western Chinese, Indian, and Cuban and North Mexican cuisine. The spice is native to the Middle-East Asian region, and today, grown all over the world for its pleasantly aromatic seeds.Cumin is a small flowering herbaceous plant belonging to the Apiaceae, family, of the genus; Cuminum. Its scientific name is Cuminum cyminum.The cumin plant flourishes well in sandy, fertile soil, assisted with hot summer weather conditions. It bears small, gray-yellow, oblong shaped seeds with vertical ridges on their outer surface. The seeds closely resemble caraway seeds in appearance.Black cumin also popular as wild or shahiJeera in the Persian and Indian sub-continent, is related variety of regular cumin. Its seeds feature long, slender, curved, dark-brown pods with distinctive earthy flavor.